Weekly Gardening Thread (Catalog Fever) Vol. 1 Jan 6, 2012

January 6, 2012 | JustaDumbBlonde

[JustaDumbBlonde]

January is not the most hospitable month of the year to be sure. If you're like me those cold dreary days are best spent curled up in a chair (for the guys that don't *do* curl -- sit there very manly) with a cup of tea (insert the manly beverage of your choice) and a stack of garden catalogs that you need a front-end loader to move (got you with the front-end loader, didn't I?).

I've got to hand it to the catalog people, the covers are exceptional this year and, by golly, with all of the $25 to $100 coupons right there on the front ... I saved $475 just walking in from the mailbox!

Your first five minutes spent thumbing through will tell you something, regardless of which catalog your choose: Prices. Are. Up. Must be that ol' supply-n-demand thing, because I choose to believe that MY favorite seed suppliers would never take advantage of a market that is growing by leaps and bounds as people discover that you can feed your family the highest quality foods and save money at the same time. Not to mention, you know exactly how your food was handled and by whom. It must be said -- produce from Mexico just doesn't have the same tropical appeal that it once did.

These are the catalogs I've received as of this morning. I've put these in the form of a link that you can take to that company, if you so desire. You can request a catalog of your own or, do what I do, which is peruse the paper catalog and then place an order online.

Gurney's Seed & Nursery Co.
Musser Forests, Inc.
Michigan Bulb Co.
Agri Supply
Growers Supply
Stark Bro's Nursery
The Greenhouse Catalog
Gardener's Supply Company
Totally Tomatoes
The Cook's Garden
Burpee
Henry Field's Seed & Nursery Co. *
Gurney's Seed & Nursery Co. *
Jung's Seeds & Plants
R.H. Shumway's Illustrated Garden Guide

* Henry Field's and Gurney's are one and the same group. I suspect that Burgess is also owned by them, but haven't confirmed

Please let us know about your favorite catalogs and gardening-related companies. I know that we all love to discover something new that will further our fun in the garden.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil and seeds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level, we would love to hear from you.

This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won't be flamed here and the only dumb question is the one that isn't asked. Jump in and join us!

[JustaDumbBlonde]

WEEKLY GARDENING THREAD PING!

[SumProVita]

I’m still harvesting kale, spinach and a bit of lettuce from my cold frame. ;-)

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Thought this might be useful. If you have a question on gardening, please let us know your hardiness zone.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

I would love to have some kale right now ... sauteed with some balsamic vinegar ... ewwww weeeee, make you wanna slap yo momma!

[metmom]

I like Territorial Seed Company.

I should go sit down and curl up with a catalog and get that order in before the mad rush.

[left that other site]

We are having a BIG FREEZE in South Florida...all my lovely veggies and tropical flowers are looking SAD.
:-(

Oh well, the year is young.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

The Weekly Gardening Thread ping list boasts 494 members as of this morning. Since we are in the midst of FR's first fundraiser of the season, and in honor of the anticipated 500th member of our ping list, I will make a $25 donation to Free Republic in your screenname if you are the 500th.

Please post to me if you would like to be added or removed from The Weekly Gardening Thread ping list. Or, you may send me a private message through FReepmail. Thanks!

[SumProVita]

It’s definitely yummy stuff...and much less bitter than what’s found in the grocery store. Powerhouse for the immune system too!!

;-)

Another place to be able to get some seeds/things at better prices: https://www.superseeds.com (Pinetree Garden Seeds)

[JustaDumbBlonde]

I saw some of the damage done by the Florida deep freeze. Satan69 posted a photo of his/her dead eggplant on last week's ongoing thread.

A hard freeze will do you some good with weed and insect control though, if you like looking on the bright side of things.

[greeneyes]

Thanks for the thread and all the links JADB. We are experiencing a glorious sunny day in Missouri. We have had great sunny weather all week. We had a high of 67 degrees yesterday.

Not much new with the gardens. We picked up a lot of seeds last year at year end sales. Now I am glad we did what with the increases you are talking about. Of course I grow heirloom for the most part, and save my own seeds. Hubby orders more hybrids.

Have a great weekend everyone. God Bless.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

The Deep South, over and through Texas, is where lots of pea and bean seed are raised, as well as other veggie seeds. With the extreme drought of last year, I have no doubt that some seed crops failed and seeds will become scarce before spring. Ordering early is a good idea this year. Especially cowpeas of all varieties.

[pyx]

Great Plant Hardiness map ! Thanks.

I also found some great information on Plant Hardiness at the following two locations;

HERE on Wikipedia and also HERE at Agriculture Canada.

I've also read that micro-climates can also be created within locations that can greatly effect plants.

[amom]

Thank you! You are too good to us.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Thanks for the report, gal. We have been having some beautiful weather here in NELA too, in a repeating pattern that goes like this: 3-4 days beautiful sun ... 2-3 days of overcast/light rain as a cool front comes through and leads us back to 3-4 days of sun.

We had several inches of rain the last 2 weeks of December, which brought new water into our ponds and bayou. I've caught two messes of fish that have been filleted and put in the freezer.

Has anyone noticed the price of catfish in the stores????? Good grief, last night at Sam's it was over $7/lb. Thank heaven I can catch bass, crappie and catfish to my heart's content.

[left that other site]

Weed and Insect Control are “” here in S. Fl! :-) Thank You for the encouraging Words!

[JustaDumbBlonde]

You’re most welcome and thank you for those links.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Can’t read that. But, I think I’m still zone 5 (plant to 3 or 4)

[JustaDumbBlonde]

You’re welcome ... I enjoy every minute of it!

[greeneyes]

Yes, the price of everything including fish is really up. We don’t have much selection in our tiny town either. It’s frozen and unless it is marked where it comes from I won’t buy it.

The fish and steaks cost about the same. We eat canned salmon or tuna, since we were able to stock up on that as part of our emergency preparedness.

We have been talking about how we could raise some sort of fish, on our extra lot, but just talking for now.